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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: foot · bound · mug · cold · root · stand · wax · coach

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bound — tied together
  4. cold — not warm
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. root — the cause
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mug — a face
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — certain
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. root — of a word
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cold — an illness
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. wax — to grow
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. foot — the bottom

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com